Comments on: Relationships Don’t Matter Most in Media Relations

By: casacaudill

casacaudill — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:41:45 +0000

I’ve found a combination of both philosophies to be true for me. I’ve been at three agencies in my nearly 7 year career and I can tell you there are reporters that for one reason or another I’ve developed relationships with over those years. Some of them I may not pitch ever again, but if asked about me or my agency, they’ll definitely know me from Adam (or Jill or Jennifer or Stacy) and that can make the difference in new business scenarios. On the flip side, I’ve been able to successfully pitch reporters throughout the years who don’t know who I am other than a person who had a good pitch that they used to take a meeting and eventually write a story. And that’s okay too. I don’t feel like I need to be BFF with every reporter I have spoken with in my career, but having them not dislike me because I pitched them crap or drivel is certainly a plus.

By: Relationship Reality: Stop Asking Who I Know at USA Today « Needling the Haystack

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:19:13 +0000

[...] 2: A great take on why relationships don’t matter most in PR from David [...]

By: The Art of the “Reverse Pitch”

The Art of the “Reverse Pitch” — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:18:11 +0000

[...] A PR colleague, David Mullen sparked some debate with his calculated title to a post called, “Relationships Don’t Matter MOST in Media Relations.” Although David’s point was very well understood in his post, many seemed to react as if [...]

By: Cops 2.0 » Blog Archive » Information or relationship?

Cops 2.0 » Blog Archive » Information or relationship? — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:35:02 +0000

[...] needs to be “relationship” rather than “information” or control thereof,” I read this blog entry from public relations strategist David Mullen. His view: information first. Relationship [...]

By: davidmullen

davidmullen — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 21:54:16 +0000

Scott – I wholeheartedly agree. Thanks for sharing!

Based on a few comments here and a couple blog posts, a few folks either misread me or didn’t actually read the post. To make sure my point was clear…

I was saying that it isn’t the MOST important thing in media relations. Great story ideas shared with relevant journalists is what’s most important. One could argue that they’re equal, as Scott and Lara did. I could see that. But relationships don’t trump quality story ideas and resourcefulness. In fact, you can’t build a relationship without providing those two things first.

The reason I wrote the post is that I’ve seen lots of chatter lately – usually from social media types or tech PR folks – who elevate relationships above all. They say you must build a relationship with a reporter or blogger before pitching them. To that, I say hogwash.

Secondly, they claim that good PR people develop relationships with EVERY person they pitch on an ongoing basis. That’s what I said is impossible for many agency folks. EVERY is an unattainable goal. Yes, you should maintain relationships with as many as possible, but you don’t have to become drinking buddies with all 3,000 reporters you’ve pitched in your ten years to be successful at media relations.

By: Scott Meis

Scott Meis — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:59:35 +0000

It certainly would vary according to one’s PR position but as you’re focusing on the agency side, agree with Lara, it’s a balance.

Some longer term client projects will benefit form relationships and regular contact. But, it’s always been my take that regardless of relationship, if you deliver a timely, relevant, creative pitch and prove yourself as a reliable resource to the reporter, mission accomplished. They may or may not remember you (a simple thanks and brief follow up immediately after a story publishes can go a long way) next time around but if you’re a skilled PR pro, you’ll stand out in your pitch anyhow and likely trigger their memory.

By: Lifestyle and Entertainment Blog NYC AMP3 Public Relations » Blog Archive » Relationships DO Matter Most in Media Relations

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:54:13 +0000

[...] stumbled across a blog entry written by David Mullen titled “Relationships Don’t Matter Most in Media Relations.” Though it’s well-written, thoughtful, and educated, I’ll beg to differ with his notion [...]

By: Create Your “Media Champions” to Increase Your Odds of Success

Create Your “Media Champions” to Increase Your Odds of Success — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:52:17 +0000

[...] was inspired today by the cleverly titled, “Relationships Don’t Matter Most in Media Relations” blog post from fellow PR professional David Mullen. The lesson David made was that writing a [...]

By: Jamie Kim

Jamie Kim — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:43:28 +0000

Thank you for the helpful insight, David. As a student studying public relations and marketing, I often hear professors lecture about the importance of networking and building relationships with professionals in your industry. While I understand that who I know is important, I agree that what I know–that is, good, creative writing–will help me much more in the world of PR.

By: Lara Kretler

Lara Kretler — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 03:14:57 +0000

Great post and conversation as usual, David. For me, it’s a chicken or the egg type scenario. Which came first – the great pitch or the relationship? I’ve experienced good results with both. A great pitch to a reporter I don’t know, if it’s well-timed and right on target, is the start of a beautiful friendship in many cases. Likewise, knowing a reporter and having that relationship can help me *craft* that great pitch and ensure that it’s on target.

So, just to be difficult, I’m going to say they’re equally as important as each other.